The Poor Law Unions of Ireland.
The collaboration of Hugh Casement is gratefully acknowledged in the preparation of this schedule of the Poor law Unions.
In 1838 Ireland was divided into unions of parishes for administering the system of providing relief for the destitute. A workhouse and a fever hospital were built at each centre. The intention was that each centre would serve an area up to about 10 miles distant; therefore it was not always the largest towns that were chosen. The scheme was financed by levying rates on property, based on the tithe valuation. Guardians were appointed to the workhouses, usually local squires and magistrates.
Some records of the poor-law unions have survived, for example for the 28 unions that are now in Northern Ireland (held in the Public Record Office in Belfast). Sir Richard Griffith’s valuation 1858-64 was based on the subdivisions county : union : parish : townland. This list gives the 164 unions shown on a map; the name of the county has been added where it differs from the name of the place. Be aware that the parishes making up the union often lay in neighbouring counties. The modern names have been used for Queen’s Co. = Laois and King’s Co. = Offaly. The spelling Derry has been used since it is shorter than Londonderry. It is hoped to extend this list one day to include the parishes in each union — several thousand in all.
Abbeyleix (Laois) pronounced -leash
Antrim
Ardee (Louth)
Armagh
Athlone (Westmeath)
Athy (Kildare)
Bailieborough (Cavan)
Ballina (Mayo)
Ballinasloe (Galway)
Ballinrobe (Mayo)
Ballycastle (Antrim)
Ballymahon (Longford)
Ballymena (Antrim)
Ballymoney (Antrim)
Ballyshannon (Donegal)
Ballyvaghan (Clare) old spelling Ballyvaughan
Balrothery (Dublin)
Baltinglass (Wicklow)
Banbridge (Down)
Bandon (Cork)
Bantry (Cork)
Bawnboy (Cavan)
Belfast (Antrim & Down)
Belmullet (Mayo)
Birr (Offaly) formerly called Parsonstown
Borrisokane (Tipperary)
Boyle (Roscommon)
Cahersiveen (Kerry)
Callan (Kilkenny)
Carlow
Carrick on Shannon (Leitrim)
Carrick on Suir (Tipperary)
Carrickmacross (Monaghan)
Cashel (Tipperary)
Castlebar (Mayo)
Castleblayney (Monaghan)
Castlecomer (Kilkenny)
Castlederg (Tyrone)
Castlerea (Roscommon)
Castletown (Cork)
Cavan
Celbridge (Kildare)
Claremorris (Mayo)
Clifden (Galway)
Clogheen (Tipperary)
Clogher (Tyrone)
Clonakilty (Cork)
Clones (Monaghan) pronounced clon-esh
Clonmel (Tipperary)
Coleraine (Derry)
Cookstown (Tyrone)
Cootehill (Cavan)
Cork
Corrofin (Clare)
Croom (Limerick)
Delvin (Westmeath)
Dingle (Kerry)
Donaghmore (Laois)
Donegal
Downpatrick (Down)
Drogheda (Louth)
Dromore West (Sligo)
Dublin North
Dublin South
Dundalk (Louth)
Dunfanaghy (Donegal)
Dungannon (Tyrone)
Dungarvan (Waterford)
Dunmanway (Cork)
Dunshaughlin (Meath)
Edenderry (Offaly)
Ennis (Clare)
Enniscorthy (Wexford)
Enniskillen (Fermanagh)
Ennistimon (Clare) old spelling Ennistymon
Fermoy (Cork)
Galway
Glennamaddy (Galway)
Glenties (Donegal)
Glin (Limerick)
Gorey (Wexford)
Gort (Galway)
Gortin (Tyrone) incorporated into Omagh ca 1870
Granard (Longford)
Inishowen (Donegal)
Irvinestown (Fermanagh) formerly called Lowtherstown
Kanturk (Cork)
Kells [Ceanannus Mor] (Meath)
Kenmare (Kerry)
Kilkeel (Down)
Kilkenny
Killadysert (Clare)
Killala (Mayo)
Killarney (Kerry)
Kilmacthomas (Waterford)
Kilmallock (Limerick)
Kilrush (Clare)
Kinsale (Cork)
Larne (Antrim)
Letterkenny (Donegal)
Limavady (Derry) also known as Newtownlimavady
Limerick
Lisburn (Antrim)
Lismore (Waterford)
Lisnaskea (Fermanagh)
Listowel (Kerry)
Londonderry also known as Derry
Longford
Loughrea (Galway) pronounced -ri
Lowtherstown: see Irvinestown
Lurgan (Armagh)
Macroom (Cork)
Magherafelt (Derry)
Mallow (Cork)
Manorhamilton (Leitrim)
Midleton (Cork)
Milford (Donegal)
Millstreet (Cork)
Mitchelstown (Cork)
Mohill (Leitrim)
Monaghan
Mount Bellew (Galway)
Mountmellick (Laois)
Mullingar (Westmeath)
Naas (Kildare)
Navan (Meath)
Nenagh (Tipperary)
Newcastle (Limerick) also known as Newcastle West
Newport (Sligo)
New Ross (Wexford)
Newry (Down)
Newtownards (Down)
Oldcastle (Meath)
Omagh (Tyrone)
Oughterard (Galway)
Parsonstown: see Birr
Portumna (Galway)
Rathdown (Dublin)
Rathdrum (Wicklow)
Rathkeale (Limerick)
Roscommon
Roscrea (Tipperary)
Scarriff (Clare)
Shannon (Clare)
Shillelagh (Wicklow)
Skibbereen (Cork)
Skull (Cork)
Sligo
Strabane (Tyrone)
Stranorlar (Donegal)
Strokestown (Roscommon)
Swinford (Mayo)
Thomastown (Kilkenny)
Thurles (Tipperary) two syllables
Tipperary
Tobercurry (Sligo)
Tralee (Kerry)
Trim (Meath)
Tuam (Galway)
Tulla (Clare)
Tullamore (Offaly)
Urlingford (Kilkenny)
Waterford
Westport (Mayo)
Wexford
Youghal (Cork)